Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja Stay in Top Grade, Axar Set for Promotion in BCCI Central Contracts
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is getting ready to update its central contracts for the Indian men’s cricket team. Big news is coming for some players. Axar Patel, the vice-captain of India’s T20I team, is expected to move up in the contract list. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma (Ro), Virat Kohli (Ko), and Ravindra Jadeja will stay in the highest category, Grade A+. This update is exciting for cricket fans as it shows who the BCCI values most in the team.
Axar Patel has been a key player for India, especially in T20Is and ODIs. Now, he’s set to get a well-deserved promotion in the BCCI central contracts. Reports say he will move from Grade C to Grade B. This jump means he’ll earn more money and get more recognition for his hard work. In the current 2023/24 contract list, Grade C players like Axar earn Rs 1 crore, while Grade B players earn Rs 3 crore. So, this is a big step up for him.
The BCCI was supposed to decide this on March 29. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia planned to meet chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir to talk about it. However, that meeting got delayed. Still, sources say Axar’s promotion is almost certain because of his strong performances across different formats of the game.
Ro-Ko and Jadeja Stay on Top
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja are staying in Grade A+, the top category that pays Rs 7 crore per year. These three, along with fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, are the only players in this group right now. Some people wondered if they’d stay in Grade A+ after retiring from T20Is. Normally, the BCCI gives the top grade to players who play all three formats, Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. But even though Ro, Ko, and Jadeja don’t play T20Is anymore, the BCCI wants to keep them at the top.
🚨 BCCI CENTRAL CONTRACT. 🚨
– Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to retain their A+ grade contract.
– Shreys Iyer set to be back with a Grade A contract. (Vipul Kashyap/ANI). pic.twitter.com/Omch7Km2Bn
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 1, 2025
Why? Because they’re still super important. Rohit leads the Test team, Kohli is a batting star in Tests and ODIs, and Jadeja is a match-winner with bat and ball. Plus, they were part of India’s recent ICC Champions Trophy win. A source told the Times of India, “All three will be retained in the top category, along with Jasprit Bumrah.” This shows the BCCI trusts them to keep shining in Tests and ODIs.
What Are BCCI Central Contracts?
BCCI central contracts are like a yearly deal between the board and the players. They decide how much money players get for playing for India. The contracts split players into four groups: Grade A+, Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C. The higher the grade, the more money a player earns. For example, Grade A+ players get Rs 7 crore, Grade A gets Rs 5 crore, Grade B gets Rs 3 crore, and Grade C gets Rs 1 crore.
The current list for 2023/24 has 30 players. Grade A+ has 4 players: Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah, and Jadeja. Grade A has 6 players, including R Ashwin and Hardik Pandya. Grade B has 5 players, like Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel (before his promotion). Grade C has 15 players, including young stars like Rinku Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
